Until Tuesday

A Wounded Warrior and the Golden Retriever Who Saved Him

A heartwarming dog story like no other: Tuesday, a lovable golden retriever, changes a former soldier's life forever. A highly decorated captain in the U.S. Army, Luis Montalván never backed down from a challenge during his two tours of duty in Iraq. After returning home from combat, however, his physical wounds and crippling post-traumatic stress disorder began to take their toll. He wondered if he would ever recover. Then Luis met Tuesday, a sensitive golden retriever trained to assist the disabled. Tuesday had lived among prisoners and at a home for troubled boys, and he found it difficult to trust in or connect with a human being—until Luis. Until Tuesday is the story of how two wounded warriors, who had given so much and suffered the consequences, found salvation in each other. It is a story about war and peace, injury and recovery, psychological wounds and spiritual restoration. But more than that, it is a story about the love between a man and dog, and how, together, they healed each other's souls.

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This book provides an incredibly personal perspective of a soldier in a very active theater of action. The instinctive denial of injury because it is "minor" or can't be seen. My only regret is that in Dec 2016 CPT Montalván lost his battle with PTSD and severe & ongoing issues with his leg. Tuesday is spending his retirement in the company of his trainers at ECAD, Educated Canines Assisting with Disabilities.

I read this book in May of 2013 and wrote this review on goodreads.com

Retired Captain Montalván is brave for sharing such an incredibly candid window into his life from his active duty tours in Iraq, a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), fractured vertebrae and coping with the resulting PTSD.

At first we learn a bit of his world pre-Tuesday, his Assistance Dog. We also learn about Tuesday's upbringing and personality quirks and how becoming a part of an assistance dog-handler team is a complex process.

So many glimpses into the workings and failings of the VA from the early days of his journey through some incredibly dark, lonely times.

An engaging memoir highlighting the psychological damages that can occur to soldiers during and after war times. It's also a heartfelt tribute to Tuesday, a special service dog, who changed Luis' life.

I am very excited that Luis Montalvan and Tuesday will be visiting our Antioch Library June 13, 2015 at 10:30 am to share this touching, informative, intriguing, and very important story of Army Captain Montalvan and his service dog Tuesday. We learn how Tuesday was trained and how he and other service dogs are matched with their owners. Captain Montalvan also captures what it is like to live day-to-day with PTSD and how a dog like Tuesday can make an enormous difference in coping with the disorder. "Every Hero has a Story".

A touching, informative, intriguing, and very important story of Army Captain Luis Montalvan and his service dog Tuesday. We learn how Tuesday was trained and how he and other service dogs are matched with their owners. Captain Montalvan also captures what it is like to live day-to-day with PTSD and how a dog like Tuesday can make an enormous difference in coping with the disorder. I am very excited that Luis Montalvan and Tuesday will be visiting our Antioch Library next summer (2015)! "Every Hero has a Story".

I have always admired those who serve our country. Now I find myself even more appreciative of what these men & women sacrifice to serve our country & how little our government does to help those that don't come back whole. I loved this book (although I skimmed much of the war stuff). Captain Montalvan uses his gift with words to bring to light the struggles of many of our vets & to point out where our country needs to step up to help these brave men & women.

With tears in my eyes, I share this comment on how "Until Tuesday" affected me.
If you want to read about the journey through the difficulties of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, this is the book; if you want to learn to understand the impact on the soldiers who have served or are serving in the Middle East, this book will help; if you want to know how a dog is trained to be a service dog for people with PTSD, this is a great book; if you want to feel the love of a dog for its master, you need to read this book.
Until Tuesday is heartwarming, sad, horrifying and funny, written by a very talented man. A hug for Tuesday and to Luis Carlos Montalvan

I loved this book (although I skimmed much of the war stuff). This book captured extraordinarily well the relationship between a person who needs help and the service animal who brings that help and much more to him. I understand some of the war details in this book have been disputed, and I can see why that would be: the author is critical of how the US managed the war in Iraq, while supporting the efforts of soldiers on the ground. He is also critical of the support that wounded soldiers receive after returning to the US. It makes sense to me that people who do not wish to have that criticism stand would attack his book.